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Near MissesIncidents that could have resulted in a fatality, but did not.

April 2, 2012 Tipton, Indiana
Child Rescued from Gravel Bin

Tipton, Ind. -- A 9-year-old boy was rescued after he was submerged in a gravel bin for nearly an hour. The incident occurred at Irving Materials Inc., located at 929 E. Jefferson Street in Tipton. A preliminary investigation by the Tipton Police Department revealed that Justin Harshman and two other boys, ages 10 and 12, were playing near a stone hopper. Harshman either fell or climbed into the hopper. He became trapped in stone due to the conveyor system sucking him down as it removed stone from the hopper. The 12-year-old was able to get the attention of plant employees who shut the conveyor system off. Using buckets, rescuers removed the gravel until a sewer vacuum was called in from the Tipton Municipal and Utilities.

Their biggest concern was the boy slipping further down. Harshman was alert and conscious while emergency personnel worked to free him. Approximately 50 minutes after receiving the 911 call, the boy was removed from the stone.